Printed at 300 dpi (a high-quality printing resolution that requires you to peer very closely to distinguish pixels), the LNPM would be larger than a football field.

Printed at 300 dpi (a high-quality printing resolution that requires you to peer very closely to distinguish pixels), the LNPM would be larger than a football field.

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<b>Note: All captions are NASA's.</b></p>
<p>The images making up this mosaic of the moon were taken by the two LRO Narrow Angle Cameras, which are part of the instrument suite known as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC). The cameras can record a tremendous dynamic range of lit and shadowed areas.</p><p>
Constructed from 10,581 pictures, the mosaic provides enough detail to see textures and subtle shading of the lunar terrain. Consistent lighting throughout the images makes it easy to compare different regions.</p>
<p>The spectacular LROC Northern Polar Mosaic (LNPM) allows exploration from 60°N up to the pole at the astounding pixel scale of 2 meters [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].</p> less

<b>Note: All captions are NASA's.</b></p>
<p>The images making up this mosaic of the moon were taken by the two LRO Narrow Angle Cameras, which are part of the instrument suite known as the Lunar ... more

Photo: NASA

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LNPM superposed on map of the United States.

LNPM superposed on map of the United States.

Photo: NASA

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LNPM with three levels of zoom down into Thales crater [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

LNPM with three levels of zoom down into Thales crater [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].

Photo: NASA

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<p>The LNPM was assembled from individual "collar" mosaics.</p><p> Each collar mosaic was acquired by imaging the same latitude once every two-hour orbit for a month during which time the rotation of the Moon steadily brought every longitude into view. Each collar mosaic has very similar lighting from start to end and covers 1° to 3° of latitude.</p><p>Three collar mosaics illustrating how the images were acquired over time to build the LNPM [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University].</p> less

<p>The LNPM was assembled from individual "collar" mosaics.</p><p> Each collar mosaic was acquired by imaging the same latitude once every two-hour orbit for a month during which time the rotation of the Moon ... more

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Two types of orbit that LRO experiences through a six-month cycle. Images acquired during terminator orbits have long shadows from the equator to the pole. For noon-midnight orbits the Sun is overhead (no shadows) at the equator and shadows, though still large, are minimized at the poles. less

Two types of orbit that LRO experiences through a six-month cycle. Images acquired during terminator orbits have long shadows from the equator to the pole. For noon-midnight orbits the Sun is overhead (no ... more

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NASA's photo of the moon is so big ... it would cover a football field

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For those of us without a powerful telescope and a cloudless night … this is as close as you’ll get to the surface of the moon. So close that if the photo were printed out at 300 dots per inch (dpi; standard web page images are 72 dpi) it would cover a football field and more (according to NASA … we don’t have the budget to try that).

That said, it’s not as if the agency actually did print it out. It’s just a giant digital image of the moon, dense enough to reproduce the northern hemisphere in amazing detail.

“Scientists, using cameras aboard NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), have created the largest high resolution mosaic of our moon’s north polar region. The six-and-a-half feet (two-meters)-per-pixel images cover an area equal to more than one-quarter of the United States,” the agency said in a news release.

“Printed at 300 dpi (a high-quality printing resolution that requires you to peer very closely to distinguish pixels), the (image) would be larger than a football field,” the agency adds.

Here’s info on the zoomable images from NASA:

To create the zooming and panning Gigapan version, multiple versions of each large tile (32,768 pixels square) were made at varying pixel scales. Next, appropriate labels and grid lines were added for each zoom level in hopes of keeping the user oriented – no sense in getting lost on the Moon! Finally these larger tiles were split into 256-pixel square images, allowing a web browser on an average network to keep up with the amazing detail (only a few tens of kilobytes are needed to see any given location at full resolution). In total the LROC NAC northern polar mosaic required 17,641,035 small tiles to produce the final product.

A general view of the Olympic Flame with a full moon on day 6 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at the Olympic Park on February 13, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Getty Images)

A general view of the Olympic Flame with a full moon on day 6 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at the Olympic Park on February 13, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Getty Images)

Photo: Getty Images / Getty Images

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This combination of 10 pictures put together in photoshop and taken on June 15, 2011 in the National Park of the volcano Teide (3718m of altitude) shows the moon during a total lunar eclipse, on the Spanish canary island of Tenerife. Astronomers in parts of Europe, Africa, Central Asia and Australia were hoping for clear skies on Wednesday to enjoy a total lunar eclipse, the first of 2011 and the longest in nearly 11 years. A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth casts its shadow over the Moon. The lunar face can sometimes turn reddish, coppery-brown or orange, tinged by light from the Sun that refracts as it passes through our atmosphere. AFP PHOTO/ DESIREE MARTIN (Photo credit should read DESIREE MARTIN/AFP/Getty Images) less

This combination of 10 pictures put together in photoshop and taken on June 15, 2011 in the National Park of the volcano Teide (3718m of altitude) shows the moon during a total lunar eclipse, on the Spanish ... more

Photo: AFP / AFP/Getty Images

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The Moon As Seen From The Galileo Spacecraft. (Photo by Education Images/UIG via Getty Images)

The Moon As Seen From The Galileo Spacecraft. (Photo by Education Images/UIG via Getty Images)

Photo: Education Images / UIG via Getty Images

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30Th Anniversary Of Apollo 11 Landing On The Moon (9 Of 20): Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Lunar Module Pilot, Is Photographed Walking Near The Lunar Module During The Apollo 11 Extravehicular Activity. Man's First Landing On The Moon Occurred Today At 4:17 P.M. July 20, 1969 As Lunar Module "Eagle" Touched Down Gently On The Sea Of Tranquility On The East Side Of The Moon. The Lm (Lunar Module) Landed On The Moon On July 20, 1969 And Returned To The Command Module On July 21. The Command Module Left Lunar Orbit On July 22 And Returned To Earth On July 24, 1969. Apollo 11 Splashed Down In The Pacific Ocean On 24 July 1969 At 12:50:35 P.M. Edt After A Mission Elapsed Time Of 195 Hrs, 18 Mins, 35 Secs. (Photo By Nasa/Getty Images) less

A plane cruises in front of the moon in its full stage under a phenomenon called the blue moon, as seen from West Orange, N.J., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Photo: Julio Cortez, ASSOCIATED PRESS less

A plane cruises in front of the moon in its full stage under a phenomenon called the blue moon, as seen from West Orange, N.J., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Photo: Julio Cortez, ASSOCIATED ... more

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A picture taken on June 23, 2013 shows a full moon rising the "Judean Desert" in the Israeli occupied Palestinian West Bank. This "super Moon also known as the "perigee" full moon appears about 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a regular full moon, according to NASA scientists. AFP PHOTO/MENAHEM KAHANA (Photo credit should read MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images) less

A picture taken on June 23, 2013 shows a full moon rising the "Judean Desert" in the Israeli occupied Palestinian West Bank. This "super Moon also known as the "perigee" full moon appears about 14 percent ... more

Photo: MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP/Getty Images

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In this handout photo provided by Disney Parks, the "supermoon" is seen with the Epcot center geodesic sphere in the foreground on June 23, 2013 at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. This "supermoon" is the closest and largest full moon for all of 2013. A "supermoon" will not occur again until August 10, 2014. (Photo by David Roark/Disney Parks via Getty Images) less

In this handout photo provided by Disney Parks, the "supermoon" is seen with the Epcot center geodesic sphere in the foreground on June 23, 2013 at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. This ... more

Photo: Handout / Getty Images

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A moon rises near the sire where Nik Wallenda spoke to the press after he crossed on a tiderope at the Little Colorado River Gorge near the Grand Canyon on June 23, 2013. The two-inch (five-centimeter) thick wireline starting from a Navajo reservation just outside of the Grand Canyon National Park is suspended 1,500 feet (450 meters) above the ground (about 50 feet higher than the Empire State Building) and is 1,400 feet long (about the length of five football fields). US daredevil Nik Wallenda became the first man to cross the Grand Canyon on a tightrope Sunday, completing his latest record-breaking feat in just under 23 minutes. AFP PHOTO /JOE KLAMAR (Photo credit should read JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images) less

A moon rises near the sire where Nik Wallenda spoke to the press after he crossed on a tiderope at the Little Colorado River Gorge near the Grand Canyon on June 23, 2013. The two-inch (five-centimeter) thick ... more

Photo: JOE KLAMAR / AFP/Getty Images

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Colonel Edwin or 'Buzz' Aldrin (1930 - ) walking on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. In 1969 he set a world record of walking on the moon for over 5 hours. (Photo by Neil Armstrong/Getty Images) less

Colonel Edwin or 'Buzz' Aldrin (1930 - ) walking on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. In 1969 he set a world record of walking on the moon for over 5 hours. (Photo by Neil Armstrong/Getty ... more

Photo: Neil Armstrong / Getty Images

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The American flag flying on the moon. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

The American flag flying on the moon. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

The moon rises over the race track during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2014 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

The moon rises over the race track during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2014 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

Photo: Robert Laberge / Getty Images

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The moon over the Allianz Arena before the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between FC Bayern Muenchen and Arsenal on March 11, 2014 in Munich, Bavaria. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) less

The moon over the Allianz Arena before the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between FC Bayern Muenchen and Arsenal on March 11, 2014 in Munich, Bavaria. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty ... more

Photo: Stuart MacFarlane / Arsenal FC via Getty Images

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The moon rises over Copacabana Fort on March 17, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazil is gearing up to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup which begins June 12. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The moon rises over Copacabana Fort on March 17, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazil is gearing up to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup which begins June 12. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Photo: Mario Tama / Getty Images

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Astronaut Neil Armstrong walking on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 mission; American flag, lunar lander & various instruments visible behind him. (Photo by Time Life Pictures/NASA/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images) less

Astronaut Neil Armstrong walking on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 mission; American flag, lunar lander & various instruments visible behind him. (Photo by Time Life Pictures/NASA/Time Life ... more

Photo: Time Life Pictures / Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

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Picture taken in August 1971 of US astronaut David Scott walking on the moon near to the lunar vehicle during the Apollo 15 mission. (Photo credit should read STF/AFP/Getty Images)

Picture taken in August 1971 of US astronaut David Scott walking on the moon near to the lunar vehicle during the Apollo 15 mission. (Photo credit should read STF/AFP/Getty Images)

Comet PanSTARRS (L) is seen with a one-day old crescent moon as both set over the Very Large Array radio telescope antenna dishes March 12, 2013 near Magdalena, New Mexico. The comet, now just faintly visible in the northern hemisphere, was discovered in June 2011 by the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (PanSTARRS) in Hawaii. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) less

Comet PanSTARRS (L) is seen with a one-day old crescent moon as both set over the Very Large Array radio telescope antenna dishes March 12, 2013 near Magdalena, New Mexico. The comet, now just faintly visible ... more

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The comet PanSTARRS, above and to the right, passes over the Stratosphere Casino Hotel along with a waxing crescent moon over the Spring Mountains range on March 12, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Officially known as C/2011 L4, the comet got its name after being discovered by astronomers using the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) telescope in Hawaii in June 2011. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) less

The comet PanSTARRS, above and to the right, passes over the Stratosphere Casino Hotel along with a waxing crescent moon over the Spring Mountains range on March 12, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Officially known ... more

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Shiva, aflame, during the full blue moon, in my camp, dinnertime.

Shiva, aflame, during the full blue moon, in my camp, dinnertime.

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The moon rises over the New York skyline in its full stage under a phenomenon called the blue moon, as seen from West Orange, N.J., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013. The moon is better known as a blue moon to scientists. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) less

The moon rises over the New York skyline in its full stage under a phenomenon called the blue moon, as seen from West Orange, N.J., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013. The moon is better known as a blue moon to ... more

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Despite being a blue moon, Tuesday's full moon rises in the evening sky with an orangish/reddish tint as the American flag flies above the soccer field at Kesling Park Tuesday August 20, 2013 in LaPorte, Ind. (AP Photo/The LaPorte Herald-Argus, Bob Wellinski) less

Despite being a blue moon, Tuesday's full moon rises in the evening sky with an orangish/reddish tint as the American flag flies above the soccer field at Kesling Park Tuesday August 20, 2013 in LaPorte, Ind. ... more

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Greeks and tourists watch the rising moon above the ancient Acropolis in Athens on August 20, 2013. (LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Greeks and tourists watch the rising moon above the ancient Acropolis in Athens on August 20, 2013. (LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/Getty Images)

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UNITED STATES - MAY 07: Mitchell is seen here against a lunar backdrop walking along a line of geophones on the Moon's surface. Apollo 14, the third successful manned Moon landing mission carrying astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa and Mitchell, was launched on 31 January 1971. Shepard and Mitchell became the fifth and sixth men to walk on the lunar surface, and Shepard the first to hit a golf ball on the Moon. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images) less

UNITED STATES - MAY 07: Mitchell is seen here against a lunar backdrop walking along a line of geophones on the Moon's surface. Apollo 14, the third successful manned Moon landing mission carrying astronauts ... more

Photo: Science & Society Picture Librar / SSPL via Getty Images

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A full moon is seen rising over the Pacific Ocean on May 6, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. The full moon known as a "Super Moon" occurs annually when the moon is at it's fullest and its closest distance to earth in it's orbit. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) less

A full moon is seen rising over the Pacific Ocean on May 6, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. The full moon known as a "Super Moon" occurs annually when the moon is at it's fullest and its closest distance to earth ... more

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A full moon is seen rising over the Pacific Ocean on May 6, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. The full moon known as a "Super Moon" occurs annually when the moon is at it's fullest and its closest distance to earth in it's orbit. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) less

A full moon is seen rising over the Pacific Ocean on May 6, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. The full moon known as a "Super Moon" occurs annually when the moon is at it's fullest and its closest distance to earth ... more

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LAPD chopper flies in a foregraund of the Super Moon in Los Angeles, California on May 05, 2012. (Photo: JOE KLAMAR/AFP/GettyImages)

LAPD chopper flies in a foregraund of the Super Moon in Los Angeles, California on May 05, 2012. (Photo: JOE KLAMAR/AFP/GettyImages)

With a half-Earth in the background, the Lunar Module ascent stage with Moon-walking Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin Jr. approaches for a rendezvous with the Apollo Command Module manned by Michael Collins. The Apollo 11 liftoff from the Moon came early, ending a 22-hour stay on the Moon by Armstrong and Aldrin. The 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon mission is celebrated July 20, 1999. (Photo by NASA/Newsmakers) less

With a half-Earth in the background, the Lunar Module ascent stage with Moon-walking Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin Jr. approaches for a rendezvous with the Apollo Command Module manned by Michael ... more

Photo: NASA / Getty Images

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NASA's photo of the moon is so big ... it would cover a football field